Are Valley tables worth the shaft abuse?

JC

JC

Coos Cues
It seems like every time I get home from playing on valley tables for any length of time my shaft "acquires" many dings. Mostly this occurs from bridging on the rails near the pocket irons, etc and the dings are back a foot or more from the tip. I play pretty fast and am rarely conscious of when this happens but later at home I get sick about it. I hate having to worry about changing how I want to shoot a shot to protect my cue! Sometimes I think just showing up with a scotch brite pad and a tip tool and taking a cue off the wall would be better in the long run when playing on these POS shaft eaters.

JC
 
I like my Valley. I do get black marks on the shaft, but no nicks.

Maybe you should slow down a little and figure out what you are doing to nick the shaft. :sorry:
 
I notice this alot as well. Alot of the valley tables you see in the bar have a definite edge at the area where the cloth of the rail meets the hard edge of the table. Some I see are terrible. Would need to shim the rail an 1/8" or so to get it even close to flush. Would not be surprised to find that this was from someone sitting on the rail since most places w valley tables really don't care about upkeep much. Leave the cue at home and play w one off of the wall instead is my way
 
Oh man...I feel your pain. Too many dings to count.

When I used to play on valleys my shafts got beat up with rough patches, dents and occasionally gouges. I got sick of pulling dents from my shaft and after watching a friend who only had one arm, play using a little bean bag on the rail as his bridge hand, I came up with using a leather/suede shaft burnishing pad between my cue and the rail. No more dents from those shaft eating tables! A thick felt pad, or other piece of thicker/ smoother material will also work.

Hope that helps...and good shooting to you!

Kevin
 
JC said:
It seems like every time I get home from playing on valley tables for any length of time my shaft "acquires" many dings. Mostly this occurs from bridging on the rails near the pocket irons, etc and the dings are back a foot or more from the tip. I play pretty fast and am rarely conscious of when this happens but later at home I get sick about it. I hate having to worry about changing how I want to shoot a shot to protect my cue! Sometimes I think just showing up with a scotch brite pad and a tip tool and taking a cue off the wall would be better in the long run when playing on these POS shaft eaters.

JC
Click to expand...
I must admit after seeing a competitor pull out a towel to protect his shaft from a corner, I thought he was being a little over protective. I have changed my opinion to it being a good move. I was glad to see the new tables have relatively smooth plastic corners. I feel your ding pain !
 
Find a table installer in your area and ask him for a small piece of simonis cloth and drape it over any sketchy area on the table to take your shot. The more sketchy it is you just fold over the cloth to make it thicker. :grin-square:
 
Never dinged a shaft. Have ripped several pairs of pants on the corners though. Give me a Diamond every time.

Lyn
 
This topic makes me laugh. Valley tables do not abuse a shaft. You abuse the shaft by stroking with it on top of a piece of metal. Easy solution. Use your hand for a bridge on those shots.
 
TheNewSharkster said:
This topic makes me laugh. Valley tables do not abuse a shaft. You abuse the shaft by stroking with it on top of a piece of metal. Easy solution. Use your hand for a bridge on those shots.
Click to expand...

Really? I've used my cue on valley tables and received scrape-like dings on my shafts just using a rail bridge with minimal to no downward pressure on the shaft on the non-metal portions of the table. I do have to say the tables that created the damage were mixed from well maintained to bar room messes but you could not visibly see the gap between the felt covered rail and the wood of the rail cap that contacted the shaft. You could sometimes feel it though and like you suggested I would use my hand for a bridge on those shots or use my piece of leather.

Cardiac kid said:
Never dinged a shaft. Have ripped several pairs of pants on the corners though. Give me a Diamond every time.

Lyn .
Click to expand...

Lyn...that just brought back some memories...I've caught my front pants pocket on the corner tons of times but got lucky on not ripping my jeans on it. Some of these tables do just eat pants especially if the area around the table is crowded.
 
JC said:
Mostly this occurs from bridging on the rails near the pocket irons, etc and the dings are back a foot or more from the tip
Click to expand...

Valley has fixed this problem with their newest model of tables. The metal corners are now flush with the veneers. I still think the fault is 50/50 though, it doesn't matter what table you play on there are ways to ding your cue. It's up to you to be more careful.
 
OnTheMF said:
Valley has fixed this problem with their newest model of tables. The metal corners are now flush with the veneers. I still think the fault is 50/50 though, it doesn't matter what table you play on there are ways to ding your cue. It's up to you to be more careful.
Click to expand...

Yes I know. I just seem to get caught in the moment of competing. If I have to worry about keeping my cue safe it takes away one of the 2 or 3 things I have the mental capacity to think about all at once and kills my game. I guess having a nice table at home breeds bad habits. Check for sharp edges, rough spots, lifted veneer etc just isn't incorporated in my current pre shot routine so it becomes a detriment to my game to have to be conscious of it when normally I am not. Maybe I should use the folded cloth as suggested here 100% of the time even at home to make it automatic and save my shafts.

JC
 
PC_John said:
I like my Valley. I do get black marks on the shaft, but no nicks.

Maybe you should slow down a little and figure out what you are doing to nick the shaft. :sorry:
Click to expand...

+1

I have a tightened up valley down stairs. My break cue is full of dings, but IDC about that. My player will pick one up every now and again.
 
Rules Question

The rules say you can only use something for which it was intended or designed. I know a guy that was called on this for using a a towel in the corner pocket on a Diamond for breaking. He explained the leather made dark marks on his shaft. The rule was it helped him elevate his cue and was not allowed. Without the towel his monster break dropped off so it was helping his stroke.
 
Man... not to be a hater but, why are you so serious about your cue if you're playing on valley barboxes? It's like... "every time I take my Porsche Go-Karting it gets all banged up."
 
My son knocked a chunk out of a 350 dollar elephant ear wrap on one, had to be pretty sharp, those wraps are tough. Play at your own risk.
 
Yes!

I agree! I hate playing on these pieces of garbage. But it's all there
is around here to play leagues on. I just posted in this forum about
finding leagues in my area that are played on real tables.
 
I like lots of dings and years of chalk, dirt and oil on my shafts.
The rest of you need to man up.
 
Tables don't nick shafts, players do.

I gather you are intentionally stroking the cue on the table? I say don't do it. Ever.

I never stroke my cue on the rail. It is always in my bridge hand. I never let the shaft physically contact anything on the table. IMHO stroking the shaft on the table itself is an abuse of the equipment. I am always surprised to see experienced players do it. I guess I shouldn't be surprised since it is so common, but I still am.

Learn to use your bridge hand and never the rail. I have seen people put some pretty spectacular marks, nicks and even gouges in their shaft because of stroking it on the rail. And they are surprised by this?

The shafts on my primary player are probably pushing something in the neighborhood of 35 years old. I have had them since 1985 and they are pretty ding/dent free. I have played on a lot of Valley bar tables with them over the years.



I say just don't do it. Don't touch your cue to the table.


.


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Shaft-eaters, lol

I have to admit...I got home from long day at work, cracked a beer, and got on AZ...and thought to myself...as I read thru the 1st several threads...same thing as always...it's always the same old threads...then I thought...I wonder how long it takes to get to a point where you start getting bored wi the same old threads...I think I'm getting there...then I thought...why do I still go on every night?........

Then...I saw this thread...SHAFT-EATERS, LOL, thank you, you refreshed my night, man...I really needed that. SO FUNNY, it's so true. However, I play in leagues with valleys, and have never knocked my cues, but IM CAREFUL!!!
Always I use a thumb under the corner steel or rubber pocket. Been here, done that. Black marks, dings, ...

Hanks for the laugh,
 
I have done it too on the pocket edge.
On a side, watch that metal mechanical bridge too! That can leave a foot long scrape mark! Ask me how I know?
Now I use a house cue for that.
 
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